"The Surprising Link Between Expiration Dates and Funky Smells in Food"

Expiration dates on food products serve as guidelines for maintaining food safety and quality. The "sell-by" date is for retailers, indicating when the product should be sold for peak quality. The "use-by" date suggests the optimal time for consuming the product at its best quality, but not necessarily a safety deadline. Foods like fish, meats, dairy products, and pre-prepared salads have "use-by" dates due to the potential risk of bacterial growth. However, dry goods, spices, packaged snacks, condiments, and hard cheeses can often be safe to consume past their expiration dates, although their taste and quality may diminish over time. Honey, white rice, and vinegar are examples of foods that never expire. Determining expiration dates involves scientific analysis and testing by food manufacturers.